Symphony of Love
by Sara Beara Pumpkin
Summary: Naruto and his family move into a new home to discover it's haunted. The ongoing spiritual disruption between the real and after-world summons the grim reaper himself to take the ghost onward. When Naruto falls in love and tries to stop the reaper, he ends up binding his soul in such a way to stop him- but how long can they avoid "life's only guarantee?" What of destiny?
1. Home at Last

Tittle: Symphony of Love

Author: Sara Beara Pumpkin

Genre: supernatural/romance

Warnings_:_ Sparse swearing, dark plot, I may make it rated M but probably not...

Beta: Not Your Cup of Tea, (thank you so much for staying with me so long! I had more to betas the first draft, but I have not heard from them after my hiatus.)

READ ME:_ This story has been edited. Plot has changed, and has become more clear and has a different direction than the original direction it was taking. I've taken off old chapers for revision and will be posting them gradually. Sorry for any inconvenience to old readers. Hope you like it more :)  
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><p>Home at Last<p>

Naruto was slouching on the living room's old, brown couch while watching television. A rough blanket covered his legs as he lazily hugged a pillow. Afternoon sun lit the apartment's living room, dulling the flickering tv screen, as the volume was low due to his recent awakening. He could hardly hear it past the rattling air conditioner and city-street noises of summer. With low effort, he yawned and stretched, then sunk back into the sofa. His mind was blurry with tired thoughts; he stayed up too late again, so he laid back down and closed his eyes.

The teenager was subconsciously taken back to awareness when he faintly heard the echoing chime of keys from the hall, then the snaps of the unlocking apartment door. Slowly sitting up he reached for the remote and muted the TV, then called to the approaching footsteps.

"Hey! Mom, Dad, how'd it go?" Rather than an immediate response, there were approaching scuffles from walking feet.

His mother, Kushina, was the first to enter the room with a soft smile. Her coral hair ran the length of her body and shimmered vividly as she stepped into a spray of sunlight. She was clothed in a modest, high collared dress with a slender frame; her skin was pale but her cheeks had a natural blush.

"The house is perfect," she stated calm and brightly. Kushina gazed at Naruto, her indigo eyes sparkling in the sun, then glanced over to her incoming husband.

The tall, lion-blond father, Minato, stood protectively behind her and shared the same compassionate face. His eyes were warm with love, cool blue in color. He had a proud chest that never shied back, like a marble statue of a guardian. "It's a shame you didn't want to come see it, Naruto. We really like the place and have decided to move."

"W-what!" Naruto stammered, "We're actually moving? For real this time?" His own figure had slender proportions like his mother and a strong build like his father. Of course, he inherited the man's trademark eyes and electrified hair, but he had the woman's delicate facial features sculpted in a masculine version.

"Yes," Minato replied happily. "Finally, after all this time."

"Three years we've been looking," the mother added, "and now we've found our dream home."

Naruto tried to speak, attempting to force words from his open mouth, but before he knew what to say, Minato innocently stole the moment. "I'm certain you'll like the house. It's really quite an improvement considering where we live now; five-bedroom, three-bath, and plenty of recreational space. Isn't that better than sleeping on an apartment's living room couch?"

Naruto looked into his father's strong eyes, then down at the carpeted floor. "Well, yeah, . . . but I wanted to finish high school here. You guys knew I didn't want to move yet." His fingers met then fiddled with each other as his face crinkled with thought.

Kushina sauntered over and sat beside him, taking a feminine precaution to not sit on her long hair. "Because of your friends?" She asked considerately.

"That, and I kinda don't really like the country. There's nothing to do out there. It's boring." He looked back up when he heard his father talk.

"There are plenty of things to do in the country, Naruto. They're just things you aren't used to." Minato leaned against the wall and observed his son.

"What, like staring at fields all day?"

"Actually, there aren't many fields or farms. It's mostly forest."

"The kind that has daddy-long-legs," Kushina added, shuddering at the thought.

Naruto sat back, crossed his arms and said complacently to the ceiling, "well I can make plenty of M&M shaped friends, then."

"Naruto, it's not that bad." Minato claimed. "We live a few miles from the town, but it's not that small. They have a full elementary and high school; there are enough people around."

"Yes, moving will also to help your college fund. With all the work your father can oversee, it'll help us save for your tuition costs. . . . We'll even get to save money on the house! We bought it for such a great deal. We're really lucky! Besides, it's about time we invested in one. It's been so long since we've last lived in an actual house."

"Not to mention the fresh air and quiet will be good for all of us. . . . Especially your mother; she's been needing the environment to help her write her next novel." As if to prove his analytic point, a driver with a bad case of road-rage honked furiously outside the apartment building.

"Yeah, I see where you're coming from . . . and you've bought it anyway," Naruto muttered quietly. He said with a little more diction, "So when are we leaving?"

The father answered, "We thought you might like some time to get ready for it, so in about a month. That will give us time to get settled in before school starts."

"And," Kushina cut in, "I'll get to pick out all that new furniture from the catalog we've been saving for. I'll buy you a nice bed, Naruto."

"Okay, okay. The move isn't _that_ bad. But neither is the couch."

"I'm happy you're taking this well." Minato said. "Let's get some ramen to celebrate."

"Hell yeah!"

...

It was nighttime, and the teenager was up late again, energetically playing video-games on his Xbox 360. Kushina walked in on him shooting zombies, a game of which she had bought for him a while back, and would sometimes even play with him. The woman placed herself beside him like she had earlier and watched the television.

"Hey Mom, if we move, we won't get to see Jiraiya and Tsunade as much, will we?"

Eyes focused on the screen, she replied, "no, we won't, but we'll still get to see them. I know you love your godparents, so we'll definitely keep in touch, just not as often as we have been."

Naruto sifted through memories of the two, as they were quiet, left to their wandering thoughts and watching the video game.

Jiraiya and Tsunade would always visit. They were his grandparents, only they had problems most grandparents didn't have, like immature and inappropriate behavior. Though they weren't blood related to the Uzumakis or Namikaze, but might have well as been. They were Minato's adoptive parents, and were very close to the family.

Hearing an amused, short hum, Naruto peered at his mother out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

"Oh- nothing really, It's just kinda funny I guess. My thought, I mean.

"What are you thinking about?"

She chuckled and closed her eyes. "Oh, Jiraiya forcing me and Minato on our first date."

Naruto's face was surprised for a moment, then he developed a sly smirk.

When Kushina saw, she said a little over nervously,. "What's that look for?"

"I didn't know that."

"Um, yeah. Because it's like, totally embarrassing . . . er- kinda."

"Do go on, Mom"

She paused for a minute, gathering her thoughts. "Since both Jiraiya and I are in the publishing business, I um, wanted him to review my first novel, but he was . . . well, 'Jiraiya'," meaning a pervert, the unsaid words. "The only way he'd read my story is if I went on a blind date with someone he knew-"

"Dad!"

"Yep. I knew Minato from way back, and then I just thought he was a girly-flake. But little did I know, he was my soul mate."

"Oh. . . . So where was your 'blind date'?"

Kushina's face became a tomato. "W-well it was going to be somewhere more formal, but . . . ."

"But what?"

". . . It was a cosplay convention."

"Mom, I never knew you did that! Dad did it too back then?" Naruto inquired excitedly.

"No! No- um, like . . . uh, you see, I was doing a prank, and . . . well, Minato happened to be the one to walk straight into it."

"Wait, is this the one where you were dressed up as Ariel the little mermaid and you jumped out at him with clothes hangers?"

"Y-Yeah, that one."

"Dad Always jokes that you're Captain the Hook because of that!"

"Yeah. . . . I made a crazy first impression when Jiraiya recognized me a moment later. I couldn't see who was past the bush, but thank god Minato could laugh at the whole thing. I said 'Ahhh!' to try and scare him. He didn't even flinch, and then said, 'Arg Captain, how goes those hooks?'."

"Hm. . . So Dad and Jiraiya were at a cosplay convention? Why?"

"Jiraiya and Minato go way back, as you already know, so they were doing stuff. Minato wanted to ask about whether or not he would be coming out with a new book soon, and he ended up being pulled along to do some god-forsaken 'research' unknown to his will"

Naruto childishly giggled; Jiraiya could easily manipulate most people.

"And since Tsunade married him, she's in the picture too. But with all their sake, gambling, and porn, they aren't the best influence for you," she rambled.

Ironically at the same moment, Naruto landed a particularly gruesome head-shot. "They can be pretty cool . . . sometimes."

His mother held her lips shut, thinking back over the many times they had brought drama and conflict into the household. ". . . So yeah, meeting each other helped us decide to name him your godfather, but the main reason is that we chose your name from a book he wrote, since we've always been so close."

"Oh. Dad mentioned that before. . . . Why did you pick the same name as that character?"

"We chose that name because we, um, wanted you to be like that character. It was Minato's idea. . . . Naruto was someone who knew how to love and forgive, but most of all had a strong will."

"Hm," he thought.

"So, Naruto: are you like that character? You are pretty determined and take after me with the noise and pranks and personality, but I mean, like, . . . do you know how to love?"

". . . Uh, yeah? I love you and Dad."

Naruto could hear her smile morph her words. "I mean, do you know how to love your friends? To love your girlfriend someday? You're in your junior year, so love's bound to come to you sooner or later."

"Um . . . ." The questions had caught him off guard; they were deeper than they typically were when they were just sitting on the couch. "I guess so."

"Well, no matter. You'll learn soon, I'm sure. I hope you can find someday what Minato and I share." A sudden surge of fluff ebbed past the sky in window behind them. It caught the free eye of the mother, who shook her her son's shoulder and pointed. "Naruto, look."

Lightly glowing, the fuzz floated in the dark air, illuminated from parking lot lights. It looked like thick, creamy snow. A gust of wind tumbled the fluffy seeds around, creating swirling patterns in the sky. Stars lightly speckled the pitch covering to the universe like role models in the background.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Cottonwood. The fluff from trees."

"Hm. . . . Love, huh?"

"Maybe it's a sign?"

"Uh, I never really believed in that stuff much."

"It's just a little odd that it would happen so late in the summer. But no matter. I've always been the superstitious one in the family."

Forgetting about his responsibility to an electronic person's well being, Naruto consequently heard his character gurgle and die. He turned back and saw his player on the screen fall, and then the words bearing his demise came into view.

"Damn it. Hey Mom, you wanna play?"

"Sure, and watch that mouth!"

...

The vibrant, magic-mint-blue car cruised down the road. Beside the asphalt pavement, perky forest obscured much of the dirt floor, and above the afternoon sky was bright above the split in the brush. Sunlight poked through the little gaps among the chartreuse leaves and speckled the small four-seater as it passed by. Across the windshield flew the reflection of the leaves above; reflections only one of the three passengers watched.

Naruto impatiently beheld the images that were beyond his parents, of whom were in the front seats, his mother typing, his father driving. He shifted uncomfortably from sitting for so long, and his movement caught the attention of the driver.

Meeting eyes in the small, frontal mirror, Minato said, "Almost there, just a few minutes."

"Oh," Naruto replied, long since unbuckled. He painfully leaned beside a stack of boxes to his right.

In front of him, Kushina pressed a lever-like button that pulled down her window. The breeze entered the car and lukewarm air battered Naruto's face. He jumped when he was whipped by red threads. Promptly, more hairs flew back harshly flicking his skin like a weapon with a mind of its own.

"Ow, Mom, your hair is attacking me again!"

"Oh, sorry." She gathered her carmine waterfall to twist and seal it behind her back. "I thought that wouldn't happen with it being on the other side of me." Still, a few wisps flew around.

Naruto shifted again, too restless and full of energy to sit still. After the road curve came a straight line of road which the car sped down. Each insiders was eager to be released and stretch their sore limbs from riding all day.

"There it is," Minato finally said.

Off in the distance, a white mailbox was visible near a pale trail, of which was the first real break in the forest for about the past mile.

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed, eyes raring with enthusiasm that had been subdued for too long.

The car slowed and turned into the rocky passage and kicked up dust as the wheels turned. The teenager bounced in the back seat, watching brief flashes of the light-colored house between the maples. Once the trees receded, the full house was revealed and the car slowed at the end of the driveway.

Naruto scampered out of the car on his stiff legs to get a better look at the huge, historic house. "No way." He scrutinized the surroundings while his knees adjusted to a straight posture. "You guys had to have paid more than that!"

The house was painted white and a washed-out yellow; the paint looked old and ready to chip but was rather optimistic for its condition. Large, cheery windows broke the wooden siding often, and appeared thrice in the curved in the towers on each floor. Happily curved wooden shingles embellished the faded black roof. A large front porch invited one to the thick entry door, which flaunted a stain-glass window. The backsides of similar stain-glass pieces were visible in three content, square windows above the woodwork was curved and graceful.

Style wise, the house was close to Victorian with the circular towers; however, it was more modest than a Victorian house, boasting of nothing more than it's soaring roof, spacious insides, and gentle nature. Overall, the house was simple and understated, a harmonious balance to the nurturing and grand character it held; it reminded him of his parents.

Their new home stood proudly within an excessively large clearing, atop the slightest slope of a hill. The dry, unmanned grass continued from the back of the house to a wide, flat expanse of land that was open for harvesting sun. Burly, mature cottonwood trees were randomly planted within the clearing. From the road, Naruto never would have guessed this place resided here.

This was indeed their perfect home.

Naruto charged into the field, loosening his legs and getting a better look at the house. He ran around, finding a curved tower the back right of the house, a freshly built annex on the left, and then back around to another tower in the front left of the house. Naruto ran up the three steps onto the trim porch and saw a rusty swing at one end. He peered back at his parents after he had dumbly tried to open the locked door.

"Mom, Dad, hurry up! I want to see the inside."

"Coming," the father replied, his keys jangling as he swung them around a finger.

His mother, trailing behind her husband and stretching her arms, asked with a smile, "So you like it, Naruto?"

"Yeah! The place is great!" He replied, peering past the door's window impatiently.

"Glad to hear you say that."

Minato unlocked the door and Naruto rudely burst in before him, passing an olive-walled entryway with autumn tiles; then through another threshold to stand in a tall, spacious area. He looked up in wonder at the sight: a large dark wood staircase rested before the entrance with tranquil stain-glass colors showering the steps. The ceiling had to be almost two stories high in the area. To his left was a barren room with two huge windows and the tower from the front. To his right was a room with mostly empty shelves and a fireplace with crimson glaze. The woodwork was simple and slightly luxurious, giving the house a noble feel.

"Wow, this is so cool!" he commented to his parents behind him, then dashed through the red library. He missed his parents chuckle as he swung open a tall door to another room.

The next room had high windows that almost touched the lofty ceiling. It was paneled in white-painted-wood, and was devoid of objects save a black piano. Naruto continued through another door into a hallway, where he flung open three doors; they led to a study, a bathroom, and a staircase leading to the basement. A window with a built in seat was at one end of the hall, at the other was a rectangular arch leading to a white kitchen. He found another arch as he passed the hall that lead to a cramped back set of closed, spiral stairs. Naruto excitedly entered the kitchen, eager to see more of the house.

It was a worthy kitchen, with an added modern touch due to the ashen-granite counter-tops and white cupboards. This was the room that had the three-walled-annex, traced by counter tops on the inside. The appliances were silver and almost regal to match.

"Saw most of it already?" Minato said with a voice of great amusement.

Naruto turned to his parents entering the kitchen from an archway opening to a wooden dining room, complete with polished table and chairs. "Yeah. it's awesome!"

Kushina sighed happily, basking in the delight the kitchen had to offer as she strode onto the wide, linoleum floor, her red hair and blue dress in stark contrast to the surroundings. Sun from the grass bounced back into the vicinity, lightening the otherwise faint shadows. "I love this kitchen. I'll have just the space to cook, it's so perfect."

"And you are a great cook," Minato complemented, following behind. "I can't wait 'till we all have a meal here together."

"Yeah, that sure would be nice to cook in a new kitchen like this."

". . . They sure did a nice job when they rebuilt it."

"Yes. It must have been a little expensive, not to mention the rest of the house."

"No doubt. . . . Say, Naruto," Minato quizzed in his soft and masculine tone, "did you know that there was a fire in this house?"

"No. There was?"

"Yep. About ten years ago. They said the fire started in the kitchen and much of the house had to be rebuilt. It's nice and updated, as you can see."

"Yeah, it really is. I thought you guys said you didn't pay a lot for it."

"The house? No. It's actually a mystery as to why we got such a good deal. . . . For the most part, it's cheap because it's located all the way out here. But the past owner really wanted us to have it for some odd reason. His name . . . Deidara? Even lowered the price when we hesitated. It almost seemed like she wanted to get rid of it."

"Deidara was a he," Kushina corrected.

"What? Really?"

"Yeah," she assured. "He was a man."

"Oh."

". . . He did joke around about the place being haunted," she continued, "though he was kinda serious almost. Said his stuff was always misplaced. Anyway, I've always wanted to live in a haunted house! I thought it would be pretty fun to talk to a ghost!"

"Ah! No, Mom, don't even say that!" Naruto said, horrified.

"What?" She innocently insisted, "he said he thought the place was haunted. He was so off and anxious, it was probably just a bad attempt at humor."

"No! Mom, Dad, ghosts are real!" Naruto sprinted through the dining room and out the front door.

"Naruto, we were just kidding," Minato called after him.

Naruto made it to the grass and yelled, "How could you have bought the house in the first place if you knew it was haunted? You know I hate those movies! I'm not going anywhere else in there!"

"Not so loud, you'll wake the ghost," Minato taunted playfully from the door, as the parents had taken after him.

"Mom, Dad, ghosts _are_ real!" He complained seriously again.

"No they aren't, Naruto."

"I don't know, Minato, I saw ghosts when I was a girl. Not anymore, though." She turned with full eyes, watching his response.

"See, Dad? They are!" Naruto begged, "I saw them all the time when we lived at the old house in Burnsville! I'm not living in there!"

"You were five years old." His father paced along the yard to the car and opened the driver's door. "Man up a little, all kids see things," he assured. "Now, come on. Let's go get lunch and rest up. We need to clean before the catalog comes with our furniture."

Naruto and Kushina followed suit, readying themselves for departure without objection. Naruto crossed his arms in the backseat, distraught that his loving father brushed aside his serious concern so easily. Then the rusty, blue car started off once more.

In the attic's larger tower, a figure watched and listened to the family from the middle window. His starless eyes twinkled with smugness as he observed the flustered teen.


	2. Settling In

Settling In

"This shade of orange is much better than what you were originally thinking. Right, Naruto?" Kushina rolled the paint-roller in the dusky, favorite color of her son's choice for his room walls. "It will dry a little darker, but it's deeper and more relaxing than neon."

Naruto grunted from the hallway, oiling the intricate woodwork with polish scented of chestnuts and lime. He poured more oil onto the dirty sock and scrubbed away at layered dust between two railings of the stairs. Stopping his work, he purposely fell backward from his crouch; he had been cleaning for at least three hours straight so far that day. Already that morning he had swept the entire first floor and washed the entry tiles. His mother and father had worked on the second floor, sweeping the spaces and painting his room. They all cleaned diligently, trying to complete their assigned tasks in time for their furniture arrival.

"Almost done in here," Minato proudly announced.

Naruto's interest brought him to inspect his parent's progress, making himself get up and stand in the doorway while observing them paint the remaining wall on ladders.

His room had high ceilings like all the others, but his parents had left it white with a protective tape border. Tape also covered the bottom, white oak trim touching the floor and around the door frame and windows. Old sheets shielded the matching oak floor. The large room was square with two big windows, of which were located on either wall; since the room had a corner placement, the sight overlooked the front yard and side of the house; the window ledges were thick enough to sit on.

Naruto tread into the pungent room, surveying the work suddenly heard a tin thunk and a slosh. Everyone turned to see a rolling paint can spill orange liquid all over a decreasingly white sheet. Caught off guard, Naruto staggered to pick it up and fold the fabric so none could leak on the floor. Some of the grease on his hands stained the sheet a light gold.

"Naruto, be careful!" his mother chided.

"I was!"

"Good thing we put the sheets down."

He tried to scrape what paint he could back in the can, then refolded the sheet back on itself and lied it in place. _I could have sworn I didn't knock this over,_ he thought. A patter of anxiety in his heart fluctuated when he remembered the idea of the house being haunted. _No, it's probably not a ghost. . . . But I know I didn't tip this over. Maybe I just pulled the sheet on accident?_

He headed back to his job on the stairs puzzled, when he was stopped by dialogue. "Naruto, I forgot to tell you," Minato said, "some neighbors are coming to welcome us later."

Naruto looked down at his torn blue t-shirt and stained sweats. "Thanks for letting me know," he retorted half sarcastically. Then he went back to work.

The teenager polished more woodwork throughout the day while his parents painted their master bedroom a calming blue. Coupled with the sunlight, the new color gave the room an airy and serene feel; the cherry wood siding was also a nice, warm touch.

...

Later in the afternoon, Naruto had just started helping his father paint the living room a thick canary shade when the doorbell rang.

Minato placed his roller in the paint tub and trotted off to answer the front door. "Hello! Glad to see you made it," Naruto heard. He craned his head to hear better.

"Hi, thanks for having us! My name is Tsume Inuzukua, and this is my son, Kiba." A woman's penetrating voice boomed loudly from the entry and cast the faintest echoes through the house.

Naruto left his job to see two brown-haired beasts, light from the day shining behind them. They both had long faces and sharp eyes shaded slightly from the scenery. They had naturally tan skin and shared the same red fang tattoos on each cheek, not to mention their untamed presence. Tsume, the tall woman, wore jeans, boots, and a black shirt; a slightly classy and sexy look. Kiba, a boy who looked to be the same age and height as Naruto wore a fur-rimmed hoodie that was zipped open for the sunny weather.

"I'm Minato Namikaze. It's great to finally met someone from around here."

Kushina entered the room at the same moment, striding past Naruto, so he went closer to join them. Kiba and Naruto instantly locked eyes past the others. His eyes were the darkest shade of brown, and were confident, like Naruto's, but more perceptive and mysterious. Naruto could almost sense that they had striking similarities between themselves.

"And what's your name?"

Naruto broke contact to look up at Tsume, and replied with a grin, "Naruto Uzamaki!"

"Hello, Tsume and Kiba," Kushina potitley broke in. " Small family, hm? Only two of you?"

"My daughter Hana wasn't able to make it," Tsume said focusing on the other woman, "she's off at college studying to become a veterinarian. But yeah, it's one less than you appear to have."

"Oh, is she now?" Kushina said with a beautiful, courteous smile. "Hopefully we'll get to meet her someday."

"Sure, maybe when she comes back to town. She went out to the big city."

"That's where we just came from," Minato spurred the conversation on. "Burnsville has a lot going on, but we came here for the quiet. Seems like a nice place to relax."

"Definitely. Anything else bring you this far?"

Minato answered kindly, "Well, my wife and I really liked the house for one thing, and with the town in need of new and updated buildings, I was offered ample job opportunities as a construction manager."

"Oh, so what will be your first project?"

"I will oversee the making of a small mall. I hear that there are enough residents to use one by now."

"Our population has definitely grown over the past ten years. I think people just need to get out of the cities, am I right?"

Naruto's parents laughed. "Yes, that's exactly it."

"Yes, well, there are some people like us who prefer something alternative. We own the dog farm, for example. It's half a mile from here. And now we finally have some neighbors! This house hasn't sold for a while, so we haven't had any anyone within a twenty mile radius. Cheers to people nearby!"

'_Nearby.' Huh,_ Naruto thought

Naruto and Kiba made eye-contact again, this time awkwardly, but Kiba seemed interested enough with his expression, so Naruto flashed a smile and made things easier.

"Hey, Naruto," Kiba said with an unsure tone, "you can come over sometime, . . . you know, to see the dogs and stuff. We breed them."

"Oh, cool. I'll do it when my parents aren't slave driving me to get the house ready."

Apparently the company had put both his parents in an extra good mood and they laughed again. "Yes," Kushina said, "we do work him hard, but we have to be ready when the movers come the day after tomorrow."

"We certainly wouldn't mind helping you," Tsume cut in. "After all, school starts Monday and I'm sure you three could use some extra arms; I see lots of dust and cobwebs. We have nothing better to do anyway, other than watch the dogs, but they'll be fine on their own. This place really could use a little help."

"I'd hate to ask, but thank you so much," Kushina said, taking the offer. The Uzumakis cleared way and lead the visitors in.

"That one artist who lived here," Tsume thought out loud," . . . stayed for about a year. Never was in the house much. Lived somewhere else instead. Wonder why he even bought it in the first place?"

Kiba spoke for the first time; he had a deep voice with an unchained heart to guide it. "That's cause he said it was haunted."

Naruto's ears perked up and he listened intently.

"Remember him saying that, Mom?"

Kiba's mother gave him a look that humbled him immediately for his bad first-impression. Naruto felt a gram of sympathy; mothers were demons in disguise. "Kiba, he was a lunatic. Did you even notice how strange those pots were he made? Who would even buy those?"

"You're a hater, Mom. He was awesome."

"Why? 'Cause he gave you some scrap of whatever that little thing was?"

"It's a bomb spider, and yes. You have no taste in anything besides beer."

"Kiba!" The look quieted him instantly. She quietly sighed, turned around and said more cheerfully, "So what would you guys like help with?"

...

Kushina and Tsume paired up, liken to Naruto and Kiba; Minato went off and did his own thing. The mothers cleaned the kitchen, the boys took over the living room painting, and Minato was dusting thick cobwebs from the ceilings while simultaneously killing spiders.

For a while, the only sound in the living room of the was the sticky rip of the rollers, the rustle of Naruto and Kiba's clothes, and the distant sound of their mothers chattering with an occasional giggle. Naruto glanced at the other, interested in the teen, who glanced back.

"So, uh," Kiba started in his distinctive-orotund voice, "how old are you?"

"Sixteen. You?"

"Same. So you're going to school here now, or what?"

"Yeah. Guess we'll be in the same grade. . . . Is the school really small?"

"Maybe to you, but I've always lived here, so it doesn't seem that small to me I guess. . . . We have about ten kids a class. The elementary is bigger."

"Oh. My last school was a lot bigger, than."

". . . You get to know the teachers better this way, though. But a drawback is that everyone knows everyone else, so gossip is pretty condensed."

"Well, it would happen either way."

"Yeah."

Kiba smirked slyly, ". . . you know, when I first saw you and your dad, I thought you guys had dipped your hair in the paint!"

Naruto smirked back. "When I first saw you, I thought you and your mom didn't brush your hair!"

They laughed together for the first time. Once they stopped, Naruto asked, "So where is your dad?"

"My mom scared him off. She's pretty independent, but I still wish she hadn't."

"Oh."

"Yeah, She works at the local tavern. Metal, rock music, beer. That kind of place."

"She's a complete fox, though." Naruto complemented.

"Your mom too! Well, more like a babe."

"More like a MILF."

Kiba laughed. "Mine too."

Minato casually strolled into the nearly finished room, inspecting the work. "So, are you boys hungry? And what's this I hear about MILF's?" He played along, having known things that were up to date, like slang, thanks to Naruto's help.

The blond teenager sounded a short-lived chortle, then responded, "we're really hungry. Anything in mind?"

"Hm. I saw an Asian place the other day I thought we could try out. I'll go and get something since you're hungry." Minato turned around and grabbed his keys from a small, curved end table and left the house.

"Can I see your room?" Kiba then asked politely enough.

"Yeah, sure. This way."

He lead the other up the stairs, then took a right. His room was the first door in view, which was closed but the stench of paint still trickled into the halls. Naruto opened the door and entered the room, ceiling tall overhead.

He could have sworn he saw a wispy silhouette standing in the room, transparent and foggy. He was unable to make out the details of the head well, but the figure was roughly his height, wearing dark clothing. It faded promptly, head first.

"Are you going to move?" Kiba's voice came.

"What?"

"I said, let me see."

"Oh," Naruto shambled into the room from the doorway, confused again. "I thought I saw something." _What did I just see?_

"Hm. . . nice place. It's bigger than mine, but my house is more like a cabin. Not as old." Kiba said, contemplating the surroundings.

Naruto looked at the environment, puzzled; and not wanting to make a weird impression so early in their relationship, Naruto said nothing to Kiba about the hallucination. He walked over to the open window, seeing and hearing his father leave. The neighbors apparently came to visit in a bloody monster of a truck, huge and ready to tear the lawn apart should it ride over the grass.

"Orange?" Kiba commented on the walls

"Yeah, that's me!" Naruto said instantly rejuvenating his bright demeanor.

"What do you mean?"

"I have my red mom and yellow dad, so I'm orange."

"Uh . . . I guess that makes sense. Want to go finish the living room?"

"Sure."

They left the room and returned downstairs to finish painting. Time passed, and Naruto eventually heard the rude car outside rolling in. He stalked over to the first floor's window to watch his father park the car next to Tsume's truck and disembark with two bags filled with food.

"I'm starving," Kiba commented.

"Me too. I wonder what he got?"

Minato entered the home, announcing the coming of food. He happily summoned everyone to the dining room, and started to remove the brown bags' contents. "Chinese!"

"Ooh, wow. Look at that. If I knew, I would have helped with the bill," Tsume said as she strutted in and boldly took a seat before the food.

"No, now, you're our guests," Kushina smiled, carrying out some plates. They seemed to already be good friends.

The smell of sesame chicken and rice filled the air. Two heavy, but small trays of meat were place on the table, along side white containers and crinkling wanton bags. Everyone seated themselves and dug in.

"I have this friend named Tenten, and she's really into Chinese things." Kiba said to Naruto.

"If she likes ramen, she's good in my book!"

"Yeah, she does. She's pretty cool, but sometimes she can be really rough, being a tomboy and all."

"Oh. Does she like video games?"

"Of course! We play them all the time!"

"No way, me too! Xbox?"

"Yep!"

"Awesome! What games?"

Kushina initiated her own conversation with Tsume and Minato separately. "We'll have to have you all over for a home-cooked meal once we all get settled in."

"Kushina is a very good cook," Minato added. "It would be our pleasure."

"Thank you. I'll bring some housewarming sake that night."

"You have plenty at work, am I right?" He reaffirmed.

"Yep. That's why I can get you guys some good stuff. Direct access to to the liquor stores, if you know what I mean."

"That's nice," Kushina said, and Naruto could tell by the way she pulled back her lips she hoped there would not be another Tsunade in her life.

They ate two types of generously glazed chicken, crispy wontons that made their mouths water, and moist, white rice. When they had finished eating, they sat and talked, giving their bellies a chance to digest the meal. Naruto and Kiba, like the growing teens the were, wolfed down any extra leaving only the scraps of rice and chicken untouched. Of course, it was all delicious, so the measly scraps that were left over were thrown into the recently plugged-in fridge.

...

After they had rested, they all continued cleaning into the night. Progress was squandered with horse play, but made nonetheless. At the end of the day, Kushina and Minato thanked the neighbors again for their help; because of them they had a pleasant time cleaning, being able to socialize with new friends, and more importantly, they were not as rushed to finish the house as much as they had been before, even though they goofed off. The sun was no longer in the sky as it became time for the neighbors to leave. Tsume gave her sexy, purple smile as she thanked her new acquaintances back tactfully. Kiba and Naruto departed each other with an epic bro hug, as they were paving way to become great and fun friends together.

"See you later, Naruto!"

"Bye, Kiba!"

"I'll see you soon!"

"I'll see you soon first!"

They continued shouting departing and challenging phrases to another as Kiba and his mother got in their red monster. The car revved up like a bull, and confidently strolled away, as if to boast it's health over their own shrimp of a car. Once Kiba was out of earshot, Naruto stopped yelling, proud of the friend he had made that day.

And so trio were all standing on the porch together.

"You can see the stars already," Minato noticed in the setting sky.

"It's so peaceful here. I just love it," Kushina sighed in agreement.

"I think I'm glad we moved," Naruto finalized.

They stood there awhile together, just basking in the beauty of their new home, smelling the fresh air and listening to the crickets begin to chirp in a rhythmic unison.

...

The next two days, Naruto and his parents cleaned and tidied the house to perfection for when the movers would bring their furniture. They had a lot of new things ordered to fill the empty space. Naruto hadn't cared enough to help them pick stuff out before, and today he was just excited to see what his parents had gotten. More so his mother had gotten; Kushina took over the catalogue like crazy and made most of the decisions. He couldn't blame her; all women seemed to dream over homes for some strange reason.

Naruto was sitting on the porch swing, breathing in the cold morning air. Dew clung to most of the landscape and hydrated the grass. Cool drafts caressed his whiskered face and chilled his nose. He yawned warmly and shivered, hating the fact that his parents were early birds and he was not. The sun hadn't even passed the trees yet; the sky was just beginning to lighten. With each small swing, the seat creaked and grounded rusty chain loops together.

_We're getting new bed sets, mattresses, towels... _he thought to himself, running off a mental list of things he remembered his mother saying to distract himself from the cold. Without an adequate jacket, his measly sweater and freezable jeans would have to do. He rubbed his hands together and listed, _new blanke_t_s, dressers, curtains . . . ._

Then, faintly in the distance, Naruto heard an engine heaving, similar to a bus. This was the sound he had been waiting for. "Mom, Dad, they're coming!" he called, expecting his voice to reach the front door and travel into the lit house.

His father strode out, fresh and ready to start the day. He inclined his head in greeting to his son, then looked in the direction of the noise. They heard the heavy engine stutter closer than before, then a giant white truck emerged from the forest onto their land. Naruto saw their distinct black logo on the side of the vehicle in the twilight, then stood up and followed Minato over to where it had parked, back facing uphill towards the door. Two muscular men, introducing themselves as Hidan and Kakuzu, departed from the high doors. One noisily slid open the back of the truck and lowered a lever while the other had Minato sign a few forms. Kushina came out and they were all ready to start the day.

Naruto helped with what he could, but he mostly had to step out of the way to let Minato and the other men through while carrying heavy objects. Naruto had to admit the place looked awesome with furniture; his mom had really thought things over the two weeks before they moved in; colors matched and furniture had a place, in her head at first, to which she slaved them into perfect the positioning of each item.

Naruto beheld the canary living room transformed to a cheery sitting area with a perky pine sofa and matching chairs. White curtains adorned the windows, and their television was placed along the wall, in a white entertainment cupboard. A green, oriental rug fit in well and tied the room together.

In the library, a pink, asymmetrical love-seat was placed on a red carpet and new books were placed alongside the old. The room was warm and comforting, and Naruto was astounded when he found out that there was a giant sliding wooden door that could close the large archways. Never knowing that they existed in old houses, he was utterly amazed.

The study downstairs was splendidly furnished, as the room itself was spacious and had an incredible view. A walnut desk and plush chair were placed against a wall, able to look at who came in and turn to face out the tower. The deep, emerald walls and dark wood spoke for itself in making the room grand. Paintings, shelves, and other accessories were placed in the room as well.

A small kitchen table with chairs were the last major furnishings on the first floor.

Around noon, Naruto was carrying an edge to his oak bed-frame when he stopped in shock. There, standing in front of his bedroom door, arms outstretched, was a young boy guarding the way. His skin was fair and his hair was a blackish cobalt that shimmered like glossy raven feathers. He wore simple dark clothes and a hostile scowl.

"Don't do anything else to big-brother's room."

"You- what? How did you get in here?"

"This is my house. You don't belong here."

"Um . . . what's your name?"

No response came besides a deeper frown.

". . . Well , my name's Naruto. It's nice to meet you. It would also be nice if you could move, because this is kind of heavy."

The little boy continued looking up at his face, then eventually moved back and critically watched Naruto open the door by himself and lug the wood into his room, then set it against the bare wall. He exited the room and looked for the boy saying, "You never told me your-" he was gone.

_Where did he go?_

Naruto's attention was drawn to his father and a hired hand heaving the headboard to his bed set up the stairs. "Who're you talking to?" Minato asked.

"A little boy. He didn't go down that way?"

"No. What little boy?"

"I wondered where he came from too. Do we have more neighbors visiting?"

"Not that I know of," Minato huffed, turning the corner. "Go check it out, will you?"

"Yeah."

Naruto searched through the house but could not the find the boy anywhere. Not even in the attic, basement, or outside. His father said he was imagining things, then. Naruto decided to take his opinion, choosing not consider that a being had been in their house.

...

Naruto sank into his freshly made bed that night. Moon light poured through the half open windows, nocturnal air chilling the room but also airing out the lingering fresh-paint smell. He could detect deodorizing wood-cleaner, light and lemony for the type of wood in his room. A wardrobe, dresser, and matching end tables on either side of his full bed were added; a desk and chair sat in the corner between the two windows, waiting rigidly for use. Savory pillows were strewn across the bed, and a fluffy, straw-colored comforter covered the teen. A matching carpet colored the floor and curtains of a similar hue blew with any slight breeze.

The night air was calm, the home secure, sheets comfortable, but Naruto was awake and unable to sleep. Something else was awake as well; he could feel it. But when he looked around his room, the shadows were fine, no one was in the vicinity, and he was alone. It made him think of the boy.

He gradually was able to fall asleep past midnight, spent from the day's exhausting labor, despite that off putting presence.


	3. Haunted

Haunted

Naruto woke up late in the day. He was well rested and got up promptly. Near the door was a funny smelling suitcase, which he pulled some clothes from, then ripped off his bedtime shirt and boxers sloppily in the morning sunlight. Once he had on his blue jeans and orange shirt, he strolled barefoot down the cool, wooden floors that flowed to the spiral staircase in the back hall.

He strolled down the narrow tunnel and then into the shady kitchen space. The room was empty, save what was built in and the set of table and chairs. He found a post-it note on the silver fridge; It read in scrunched, baby letters:

_Food in fridge. You can use my computer while we're gone, it's on the table. We will be getting some more of our stuff and grocery shopping. Be home around four. If you need anything call my cell from the house phone._

_Love you,_

_Mom and Dad_

_They must have left early,_ Naruto thought. Going all the way back must have been a real pain in the behind, literally. He was happy they didn't take him along.

Naruto looked across the room to the table, but no computer was in sight. A gleaming cherry laptop was, however, behind him on the countertop. Naruto took it, along with yesterday's Chinese leftovers, to his room.

On his bed, he logged into Facebook and inhaled a mouthful of rice. Looking down on the screen, he saw that Kiba had sent him a friend request. He accepted it, then strolled down the home page to view his friends' recent activity. Nothing out of the ordinary; Sakura took flattering pictures of herself; Lee commented on his latest workouts; Ino shared her thoughts on how she thought someone was acting ridiculous, without giving their name; and Shino shared so many photos of bugs, it appeared like spam.

When he had his fill of the timeline, He scrolled back to the top to update his own status.

_The new house is awesome! _He wrote. _Made a new friend named KIBA INUZUKA, but I'll still miss my old ones. :(_

Naruto then proceeded to open a new tab and check his email. He zoned into the computer world to upkeep everything and maintain his profiles while eating. When everything else was done, he closed the computer and scooted off his bed, leaving the chinese boxes on his end table. He found his socks from yesterday and put them on, being a lazy guy and not reopening his suitcase for another pair. Then he slipped on his shoes and tapped the tip on the ground so they felt right and headed to the front door.

Outside the air was fresh and cool. Trees and grass were covered in dew and a few gutsy birds chirped loudly. He looked at the pastel colored sky, then hopped down the front steps, turning to the back yard. He walked across the open plain to the edge of the forest and looked deep within. The ground was covered in dark dirt with decaying leaves, and the lower branches of the trees were shriveled due to the upper branches taking the sun. He stepped over the moist dirt and soggy leaves, crunching the lower layer of dry leaves with each uncertain step around twigs and logs. He spotted a grey squirrel watching him from a high branch, curiosity in it's big black eyes. It was moments like these that Naruto wished he could just pet them and feel their wild fur; there was something so adorable about wildlife mammals to him.

He delved deeper into the woods and enjoyed the earthy scent. He passed a cedar tree that appeared to have been split by lightning, the aroma of the chipping cedar was so pure like the rest of the area. The city really seemed to stink now.

After he felt thoroughly rejuvenated, and a bit bored by nature, he headed back to the house. He reopened the computer and waited for the screen to light up. Naruto saw an unread message. It was from Kiba, saying, _Hey._

_Hi,_ Naruto wrote back, and was surprised when a response was quickly sent.

_What's up?_

_Not much, my parents left me alone but that's about it._

_You're all alone? What are you going to do?_

_Nothing really. I just have this computer to pass the time._

_Then you should totally come over! We can pick you up._

_Sounds awesome. When?_

_Whenever is cool._

_Okay, how about you be here in like half an hour or something._

_Alright, we'll honk when we're there._

_Okay. See ya._

_Yeah, see ya, bye._

Naruto shut the laptop immediately then he headed to the bathroom. It was located beside his bedroom, though he had to enter it through the hall. The space was wide enough for the porcelain appliances to have air to breathe, while the space was small enough to to be cozy. Even though the walls were a dark blue, the white trim on the window and other accessories made a softer touch, as they were sculpted femininely. Overall, the room matched the house in the sense that it was humble with its grandeur.

_And I get this all to myself,_ Naruto thought complacently. _No more fighting over who uses the shower first in the morning. _He reflected that the best part about having his own bathroom was the fact that his mother would not lose any of her hairs in the area.

Naruto strolled up to the rounded mirror and sink, then grabbed his colorful toothbrush. The toothpaste wasn't on the sink, so he turned around and looked for where it might be. He found it on the flat surface atop the toilet. _What are you doing all the way over here? Why would someone do this? _His eyes widened as he recalled the prank-loving tendencies of his mother. _Of course! She did it! And she must have moved the laptop, too! Well, I'll have to give her a surprise of my own. _He grinned mischievously at his clever idea for revenge. He brushed his teeth then exited the bathroom, left to ponder his thoughts and stroke his chin. _What could I do?_ Starting to meander, he searched his surroundings for an plan.

The hall turned as he headed to his parent's room. He passed another bedroom, one he had avoided claiming his own in case he chanced upon hearing his parents make love in their nearby room. The apartment was much too small before, but he never let them know what he heard; it would be much too humiliating. Stopping at their cherry-wood door, he raised his hand to twist the brass knob but stopped.

"Mother, why doesn't father teach me to play the piano?" A young boy's voice faltered, soft and insecure from inside the room.

Naruto frowned, placing his ear to the door, and recognized the voice from the boy he had met outside his bedroom the other day.

"Well, I think he's busy teaching your brother," a kind woman's voice replied. "Why don't you play with Itachi later?"

Naruto looked down, confused, and tried to grasp the smooth handle, but his fingers seemed work like sticks for some reason; his mouth was also suddenly dry.

"Big brother never helps me anymore. Does he even like me?"

"Ah, now," the woman said affectionately, "don't worry about your brother. He's been acting a little strange lately, that's all."

Naruto was finally able to open the door. It swung soundlessly on old hinges, oiled for the best impression it could possibly make for the sale.

Inside, no one was to be seen. It was just his parents' spacious master bedroom, peaceful and empty as ever. The walls were like a deep, cloudless sky, dulled out for relaxation. Clear curtains covered the tall windows and bathed the room in a calming glow. Large, lustrous polished wood furniture decorated the area that was also scented of a pine forest candle extinguished long ago.

_Was I hearing things?_

He inspected each detail- from the cracks in the floor to the shadows on the ceiling. Nothing stirred. He skeptically entered the room, suspiciously eyeing the surroundings, then gave up as nothing was happening. _Things have been weird around here with that kid. Am I going crazy? . . . Dad always said stress was hard on me, . . . so maybe it's just that. Hallucinating from stress. So then, . . . what can I do to my mom? _No ideas came to him, other than to mess up the order of their pillows, which he decided against; he could come up with better.

He found himself downstairs again, wandering aimlessly through the open entryway before the front door. He gazed up at the shimmering stained glass squares, displayed like three intricate rainbows. Naruto observed them for a time, captivated by their beauty. His eyes later drifted downward to the door's window, another patchwork of various colors. Without much to do other than look around, he did just that and saw the old paint supplies in the living room that had never been cleaned up. Sheets still covered the floor, and the paint rollers were crusted with dry yellow.

As he observed the cracking paint, an idea slowly came to him. He marched into the room and snatched a roller, then a step ladder. He brought both objects to the entry and opened the door a crack. He placed the ladder against the wall and climbed up to carefully place the roller atop the door, positioned so that if the door was opened, it would fall on whoever was there.

_Take that, Mom. Or Dad. Either one works. _He giggled evilly to himself and then returned the ladder to its original spot. Traveling to the phone, he rehearsed the basic Idea of what to say to his parents.

"Hello? Naruto?"

"Hi, Mom."

"Oh hey."

"Kiba invited me over."

"So you're going then?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, call later around seven or after if you need a ride home."

"Okay. Bye, Mom, love you."

"I Love you too, Naruto."

Naruto hung up the phone, then a rowdy noise suddenly whizzed through the air, causing him to jump. He realized a moment later that it was a horn honking. _Hm, I must be getting used to the silence, _he thought, remembering the nonstop noise of the city.

Naruto left house through the back door in the kitchen and ran around the house to the front yard. He could see kiba and Tsume in their truck, and kiba disembarked the car to bend his seat forward and climb into the back. Naruto approached and then climbed up the car's bulky outside to sit in the front seat, then slammed the door shut.

"Hey," Kiba greeted.

"Hey," Naruto mimicked, looking back.

The red vehicle then turned around and drove off the Uzumaki property.

...

When the arrived at the Inuzukas' land, they drove along a dirt driveway much like at the Uzumakis' house. As they approached the log cabin, it was set in a grass clearing, again like the Uzumaki's house. The cabin was a deep brown with dull green shingles and windows. An abstract stone path lead to the front door, splitting the flower and vegetable garden equally.

When the truck slowed to a stop, Naruto jumped out and beheld the sight. He heard the seat bend forward and click back, as Kiba climbed out with his rustling clothes.

"Naruto, would you like to see the dogs?" Tsume asked with a smile.

"Uh, yeah! Sure!"

The brunettes walked briskly around the house to the backyard, Naruto staggering behind. The size of their land was nearly double that of the Uzumakis', and was fenced in with thick logs that matched the house. Within the fenced area, dogs of all sizes, mostly snowy haired mammoths, ran about, played with others, or napped in the afternoon sun.

Kiba unlocked a tall gate and almost instantly, the dogs all turned their heads in their direction and lifted their ears.

"Hurry up and go in," he said, and then locked the gate behind them.

Naruto almost fell backward by the dogs that charged toward him. They gathered around Naruto primarily to sniff him with their wet noses, and he became slightly self conscious when they tried to smell his groin and rear.

Kiba laughed deeply. The blond turned around to question him with a glance. "Your expression! It's priceless!"

He could feel his facial muscles then, tensed in what probably looked like some worried baby's face. He relaxed, and then bent down to pet the furry creatures. They panted with their long tongues flapping, stinky breath escaping their mouths. He felt a dog on his left lick his cheek leaving a slimy mark behind. He cringed as the dog licked over his eyebrow and eyelid next. Needing a break, he stood up and the dog that had been tasting him sprawled himself out and publicly began licking his crotch.

_Note to self: wash face when I get home,_ Naruto thought.

"Aren't they just lovely?" The woman asked.

"Yeah," Naruto secretly disagreed, but couldn't hold it against them. The dogs did look happy, after all, especially the one licking himself.

They were silent for a moment, the dogs the only source of noise in the vicinity.

"I'll leave you boys at the house," Tsume finally said. "I'm going to run to town real quick and do a few errands."

"Alright," Kiba responded.

"Remember to give the dogs food and water."

"Okay."

"I'm off, then."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye," Naruto chimed in.

Kiba faced his friend and then said, "Hey, Naruto, let's go in the house."

"Yeah, I want to see your room now."

...

Two hours later, the boys were in the living room eating cereal. Naruto refilled his bowl with Captain Crunch and also poured more milk in from the jug that was left out.

"Sixth bowl," Naruto announced proudly, his voice with a cocky air.

"Sixth bowl," Kiba stated a moment later.

Naruto wordlessly cursed, realizing he was no longer so far ahead. He glanced at Kiba's bowl, seeing the Cocoa Puffs wolfed down before the chocolate could even color the milk. _Faster, faster! _He told himself mentally and barely chewed before he swallowed each bite.

"Seventh-"

_No! "Seventh!"_

"Eighth!"

"Eighth!" _Get back ahead, you!_

"Ninth!" they shouted in unison.

This was it. Whoever reached the tenth bowl first was the winner.

Naruto reached for the Trix and poured the box upside down, spilling fruit-shaped pieces along the coffee table and carpeted floor. He was more careful with the milk. He glanced back at his rival again, and they met eyes. Naruto shoved another spoonful in his mouth. It was very sweet . . . maybe too sweet. His stomach gurgled. He found it harder to take the next bite, and even harder the next. Beside him, he heard the same grumble and he peeked over at Kiba. They both raised their spoons, bowls halfway empty, but then dropped them.

"I'm way too stuffed," Kiba admitted.

"Me too. I can't finish it."

"Looks like our bowls are even."

"Yeah, but I'll beat you next time. Believe it."

The dog-lover groaned and stretched across the leather couch. "Not likely."

"Yeah I will."

"Ugh . . . . So anyway, have you seen the ghost yet?"

"What?"

"At your house."

"There's no such thing as ghosts," he retorted.

"Then why have all my neighbors living in that house moved out so fast if the house isn't haunted? Tell me that!"

"You're not scaring me!"

"I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just telling the truth! That house is haunted!"

"Shut up."

"Because I'm right?"

"No, because . . . ," He paused briefly to think, then confessed, "I got nothin'. Just don't lie."

"I'm not, I swear! Didn't you guys know that the house was haunted before you bought it?"

"No, or at least I didn't." Naruto said, a bit upset.

"Well there you go; that's how you move in."

"We're not going to move out because of some 'ghost'."

"Other people have."

"Yeah right. How many?"

"Enough to prove my point."

"But- that can't be true! Have they even seen the ghost?" Naruto started to inquire a little more open minded, forgetting to stay tough.

"Some. They say he's the boy who died in that house."

"Someone died in there?" he exclaimed in an almost disgusted tone with a frightened face. Kiba found it amusing.

"Obviously. Why would he be there otherwise?"

Naruto's face morphed to a frown.

"No, seriously, I knew him when we were younger," the brunet assured, "but not personally. He died pretty young, when we went to school together in the elementary."

"H-How'd he die?" Naruto asked curiously.

"His brother was a psycho. Killed 'em dead, along with his parents."

"No way, you've gotta be kidding."

"The honest truth and nothing but the truth," Kiba swore with his right hand.

". . . So he's been haunting the place ever since then?"

"Yep. People are always moving out."

"Kiba!" A womanly voice suddenly said sternly.

They turned to see Tsume entering the room, strutting in her long boots that clacked against the tiled floor. As it was before, her hair was bushy and sharp and bounced as she walked. She was a mess of savage, feminine power.

"What did I say about that ghost talk? Don't scare the poor dear," She frowned, obviously a harsh woman of discipline.

"Kiba can't scare me!" Naruto said out of his own pride.

"I so could! You _are_ scared!"

"Kiba!"

He immediately shrunk back, and Naruto had again felt sympathy for him when he saw the way he looked like a turtle poking his head out of a shell. He smiled in an attempt to make him feel better. "My mom can be pretty vicious at times too."

"And what did _you_ say, Naruto?"

"Er- nothing!"

"That's what I thought," she finished dominantly. She smirked at their wide eyes and set her keys noisily in a basket on the counter. Opening the cupboards, she commented further, "So I noticed that you're a big eater like kiba, huh, Naruto? I should buy more groceries here on, Since kiba usually eats most the food."

"Speak for yourself, Mom! You eat more than any normal woman would!"

"I suppose you're right. I sure can drink more too. Opes, forget I said that, Naruto." She winked at him.

Naruto gave an amused grin, but she missed most of it as she left their sight.

". . . And you boys have gotten into the candy cupboard."

"Yeah, Naruto is a little sugar demon! Seriously, If you buy more food, buy more milk and cereal!"

"Well I'm not that bad," He grinned wider.

"You totally are! You ate more than I did, and I have practice!" Kiba boasted more than complimented, bouncing on the couch.

"_I _have practice! You guys need to try some of my mom's food! It's amazing. You can't stop eating once you start!" He nearly hopped up to his standing height in competition, he was so full of energy despite their bloated bellies. The strained springs squeaked beneath them.

Tsume cut in, though not impolitely, "Well, have us over for dinner soon."

"Sure, my parents are getting groceries tonight, so it could probably be tomorrow or sometime soon."

"That's wonderful," she finished simply. The cupboard knocked shut with some plastic crinkling as background noise. "See you boys. I'll be in my room if you need me. Remember what I said, Kiba." Her footsteps receded.

"I won't talk about it if you don't want me to," Kiba said almost with a look of guilt. He stopped jumping

"Nah, it's fine. I'm not scared," Naruto lied, slowing down as well.

"Oh, okay. . . . but as I was saying-"

"Shut up!"

"Okay, okay."

Naruto slyly found a distraction, one in front of them. "Let's play Xbox or something."

"You're on!"

...

"And he has a lot of dogs, and I mean a lot. They're mostly big, fluffy, white dogs, but he has other types, too."

"Wow, sounds interesting," Minato said genuinely enough.

They were riding in the car home, Naruto in the passenger seat beside his driving dad. The car rumbled slightly underneath them, like the worn machine it was. The sun no longer shone through the trees as they rode along the dark highway, car lights offering the the only field of vision. Moths and other night insects were hit and a few occasionally splat on the windshield.

"Yeah, they have a house kinda like a den inside, like it's just cozy and stuff." Naruto eyed a green bug that twitched a leg twice before it was blown away, leaving a streak. "Dad, these bugs are disgusting."

"That's why your mother didn't come to pick you up," He smiled.

"We'll need to wash the car after tonight."

"Yeah. You want to do it? I'll turn the hose on for you," He joked.

"No!"

" . . . So what did you do all day?"

"We played video games."

". . . So are you guys coming along?"

"Sorta. We just met. . . . He thinks that he's clever or something for talking about the ghost. I don't like it."

"That again? You're going to go crazy."

"I'll say."

"Well, good thing there's no ghosts in our home."

". . . Yeah, good thing. . . . By the way, who fell for my prank?"

"What?"

"Who did the paint roller fall on?"

"You mean the paint roller I found in the middle of the hall? No one. If anything were to have happened, we might have slipped on it."

"What? I set it up so when one of you opened the door, it would fall on you!"

"Maybe a draft knocked it over. You know how old houses are."

"Yeah, but Mom played a prank on me and I wanted to get her back."

"Did she? . . . She would have told me. You know how that woman can't help but say everything that goes through her head."

"She did! She moved my toothpaste! It wouldn't move on it's own."

"You probably just misplaced it."

"No, I didn't! If you and Mom didn't do it, then someone else had to have!" He stared out the window, then the pulsing thought found its way to his mouth . "Maybe there _is _a ghost!" He shot his glance over to his dad for a reaction. "Kiba said a boy and his family died in there!"

"Did he now? Probably just trying to scare you." Minato said impassively.

"Oh- yeah, well I didn't believe it anyway," he fibbed, looking away.

"I'm sure you didn't."

"What's that supposed to mean!"

The father chuckled, "nothing, nothing. Well, here we are. . . . Home sweet home."

The car turned into the driveway, causing the teenager and adult to sway slightly. Minato parked near the front porch on the rocky way, moonlight beginning to shine over the various surfaces to create shadows. The house looked warm as the insides were lit and glowing, beckoning like a stable island to a seasick sailor.

When Naruto stepped into the house, the first thing he became aware of was the smell; rosemary potatoes and steak wafted past his nose. The aroma made his mouth water. The second thing he noticed was the cardboard boxes that decorated the entryways, building walls with hidden treasures. The third thing Naruto recognized was the faint humming of his mother in the kitchen.

Naruto passed the bright living room and sat down at the head of the dinner table, which had a newly added cloth. Minato took his seat nearby, looking to where his wife was.

Kushina poked her head out the arch, spatula in hand and said, "Suppers ready. Perfect timing." She went back then came out with two plates and set them before her family, afterwards retrieving her own dish.

There were extra potatoes on Naruto's plate, just the way he preferred the particular meal. He loved his mother's cooking; it was always so savory. She was a natural chef, and plated the entrees as if they were to be served in a restaurant. They tasted the part, too. She could make something simple as a salad an experience like heaven. That and her beauty seemed to be her only gifts; she failed at most other things in life.

Naruto dug into his food immediately, cutting the juicy steak with crispy seasoning.

Minato took a bite of his potatoes first, chewing with care then swallowing. "Yep, our first meal here together."

Kushina, who sat across from him, agreed. "Mhm. Sure is nice. Though the day was pretty exhausting."

"Yeah, we missed you, Naruto. You could have helped with the boxes. . . . There wasn't that much, anyway."

Naruto was gobbling up the long trail of small, diced potatoes he had pinned onto his fork when he decided to talk past his food. "I can do more tonight."

"If you want," his father suggested, "You can take your boxes upstairs to your room."

"Okay."

Kushina asked after an appropriate pause, "so, Naruto, how was Kiba's house?"

"It was great!"

"So are you guys good friends?"

"Yeah, we are!"

"That's great!"

Minato glanced at him, remembering he had gotten a different answer, but he was used to the fact that they were nearly identical on the inside, so their enthusiasm was understandable between each other. He ate absently at his food and a small raise of his lips while chewing appeared in amusement.

"So Mom, what's the deal with school? When do I have to go?" He asked suddenly, his train of thought shifting randomly.

"Let's see . . . today's Friday, so we have two more days until it starts," she recalled.

"Oh. Well it's good I know Kiba." He crunched into a leaf of lettuce with thick dressing, then quickly swallowed. "His best friend is a girl named Tenten. I haven't met her yet, but she sounds cool."

"Are you going to have a girlfriend? Or is she Kiba's girlfriend?" Kushina instantly interrogated.

"No! Mom, why would you think that?" Naruto said, almost repulsed.

She began blushing and then readjusted her yellow hair clip. "No reason."

"Mom, you're red! You're embarrassed!"

"Well I just thought that maybe . . . ."

Minato teased, "Your motor-mouth mother can't keep anything bottled up. Never could." He smiled at her, and she smiled back, her face a little redder.

"Yeah, there have been lots of times it's gotten me into trouble."

"Remember that time you went off at Tsunade for drinking?" Naruto blurted happily.

". . . I remember," She uncomfortably laughed. "Oh, that woman was so pissed. Oops, excuse my language." Her face was the shade of a tempting apple, but began lightening afterward.

"You were so mad when she threw up on the couch."

"You were too."

Naruto laughed, "Yeah, I was! But you _went off_ on her!"

"Speaking of Tsunade and Jiraiya," Minato started, "We need to have them over soon to see our new place."

"Yeah!" Naruto chirped excitedly. "I miss them already!"

"Me too," Minato agreed. "We'll get to see them on thanksgiving, but that's a long time to wait. We should invite them over a week or so from now."

"Definitely," the son seconded.

Kushina sat in the moment of silence, then lowered her head to take a bite of meat off her fork. "Yes, but let's make sure that she doesn't get into any of our drinks. You know she looks around everywhere each time she comes over."

"That she does," Minato supported. "Apparently Tsume has a gift of Tsunade's nature to give us."

"Yeah, sure hope she doesn't turn out to be another one of them."

Naruto, half done with his plate already, scraped the ceramic ware with his metal utensil as he cut into more of the steak. "Tsume sure can hold her liquor," he said, then immediately cursed himself for revealing her secret. His parents had a look like they smelled something worse than a skunk could produce.

"Well, we can make other friends, too," Minato kindly excused the woman, his sour face lightening.

Even after spoiled thoughts, they could still return to bliss and eat in peace together, happy for their close family bonds.

...

Naruto carried up the boxes labeled with his name after dinner; they contained mostly clothes, but some held an assortment of miscellaneous things. Once in his room, he ripped open the boxes and explored their guts. He found an alarm clock, which he placed beside his bed; some of his books that he never would particularly read; and two flamboyant lamps. He set the lamps on either of the end-tables beside his wide bed. He placed the books in a shelf built into his desk. Without the furniture and bright colors, his room would have seemed very empty. It was more spacious than any room he had expected to live in.

Naruto turned the lights off and climbed into his unmade bed. He was tired and wrapped himself snugly into the woolly blankets. When he was near falling asleep, unknowing as to why, he was brought back to full awareness. Then he realized that the same feeling of being watched yesterday had returned. It was as if the room had suddenly became colder. He tried to ignore the peculiar feeling, but it didn't work; he tried facing the other way, moving his pillows around, even pulling the covers over his head. Nothing relieved it.

Naruto peered at his alarm clock; seven minutes to midnight. He was tired, awake but tired, and still unable to sleep. He tossed in the bed and turned his body into odd positions but it didn't drown out the strange sensation that he previously failed to quiet. It was almost as if it came from a particular corner in his room, just staying there, motionless. He tried his best to ignore it.

Naruto suddenly began to smell the scent of burning wood and other materials. The harsh effect it had on his nose eliminated his sleepiness instantly, and he sat up. Smoke seeped between the door cracks and rose in the room, snaking circuitous patterns in the air. He leaped out of bed and flung his door open wildly.

Instead of a smoke or fire, he found nothing. He spun around, and the smoke behind him was gone. He stood there for a long moment, in complete confusion. _What? Where did the smoke go? I know I saw it! Maybe I was just seeing things. Yeah, I'm tired, I should go back to sleep. But I did hear things earlier today, maybe that-_

Just when he was about to walk back to his bed, a ghastly form, like the one he had seen the other day, hovered without much embellishment between Naruto and the bed. It appeared as if the figure, a male with hair obscuring his face, had taken a few steps before completely fading away.

_That looked like a ghost!_

Naruto was frozen for moment, but he slowly oozed into motion, running from his room. He could feel his heart pounding and mind race as he stumbled down the dark hall. He forced his legs to move as fast as possible, but they still seemed stuck to where they had been moments ago. Mentally, it took too long for him to reach his parents' room; having the back of him unguarded as he fled was unnerving. When he opened his parents' room door, he burst in and closed it quickly but quietly. He paced nervously into the room, like a deer cautious of hunters.

His mother, a light sleeper, stirred and whispered, "what is it?"

"Mom, I saw a ghost!" He whispered back, his eyes gleaming with fright in the dark.

"Come on now," she muttered, finding a new position to resume sleeping in.

"I did!" He insisted. He stood there for a long and awkward silence until she replied.

"Do you need to sleep in here?"

He didn't answer because of his pride, but when she scooted over in their big bed, the spot became irresistible. Naruto crawled under the slippery sheets, and thought about the old home in Burnsville; the similar experiences. He remembered how he would be waken up in the night to find aquatic wisps flying through the air, and could hear voices here and there. He lay there awake for most of the night; it felt like the presence was outside the door, and it never left until the morning.


End file.
